Haight Theatre
1702 Haight Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94117
1702 Haight Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94117
6 people
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The Haight Theatre was located in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco.
Contributed by
William Gabel, Juan-Miguel Gallegos
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Recent comments (view all 21 comments)
From the SF Public Library:
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1967:
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1974:
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1977:
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According to the web site “Shaping San Francisco,” the Haight/Straight Theatre was demolished in 1981.
The SSF site also has this picture of a rainy Haight Street in 1944, with the moderne bulk of the Haight Theatre looming in the middle distance.
The Haight-Ashbury district also once had a circa 1910 theatre called the Supurba, located at 1660 Haight Street. I don’t know whether or not it is listed at Cinema Treasures under some other name.
My dear departed friend Jack Reynolds, managed the Haight Theatre in the early 60’s. The interior of the theatre was very similar to the Uptown. As a ex flower child of peace, love and not war, I remember when the Haight became the Straight. The vertical marquee was painted with flowers and “delic” 60s colors at the time. The main floor seats were removed, and we would go in there for the best rock concerts ever. We went in there once to see a movie and were given a blanket to lie on the floor with. The pot smell was everywhere, free love in the balcony, who could ask for more? Later it was a church and sadly shuttered for good. My favorite memory there was going in stoned, and saw Phil Spector hanging with Margo St. James of the famous Coyote. A buddy of mine and I spoke with them. We just discussed the Straight a few minutes ago, and a buddy said “kids now days don’t know what they’re missing”. The Haight, along with Winterland, are now San Francisco pasts, but lives long in our memories.
Thanks, robertgippy, for that uplifting story. If only there was a theatre in my town today where my kids could go to get stoned and have “free” love in the balcony. I think you’ve captured what American cinema should aspire to.
Well, both those things (maybe less getting stoned if were talking pre 1950s) have been happening in the back rows of Cinemas for any number of decades.
Very true Dramatrama.I could tell you some stories from my theatre days.Saw a lot of stuff.
The Haight Theatre is listed among works attributed to architect Otto A. Deichmann in the 1956 edition of the AIA’s American Architects Directory.
As the Haight was built in 1937 I would assume that Deichmann’s partner of that period, Mark T. Jorgensen, was also involved in the project. I’ve been unable to find a listing for Jorgensen in the AIA’s online historical directory. It’s possible he was not a member of the organization.
The Grateful Dead played here on July 23, Sept 29/30 1967
According to Variety, an attempt to run the Haight as an arthouse catering to gay audiences in 1964 met with community outrage and police harrasment. The experiment lasted less than a month.